2016 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67



June 2, 2016

Hello, dear people.

Lots of rain has fallen in the night and morning. I think I’ll take time to run blades to Wood Mizer for resharpening before carrying on with the mill job. When I get back to the mill site, I think I’ll be taking time to drop another tree—a huge one—about 40” at the butt. I simply need more wood to fulfill the requirements of the cut-list.

May your day go just fine.

Love, Dad/Ray.


02 June 2016
Psalms 133 / Proverbs 2
Focus: "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1.

Indeed! Indeed! But let’s not stop there with that particular relationship. It’s also “good and pleasant” when a husband and wife live in unity. How about a father and a daughter?—a pastor and a church member?—a boss and an employee?—a student and a teacher?—and most important of all, you and me in relationship with our Maker? Without a doubt, a relationship bonded by mutual love, acceptance, forgiveness, and unity of basic values is a wonderful relationship that offers both peace and security. After all, how can tension survive amidst unity?!?!

It’s also good and pleasant to awake from sleep in the early morning with a song going through my little bald head—especially when that song resonates with my deepest desires. For me this morning it was a familiar one—

“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today.”

My judgment is that this deep desire is also my choice in the direction of Biblical wisdom, when compared to all the other choices out there. And the pursuit of wisdom is the primary aim of the father/author of Proverbs 2. He has no greater desire than to live in unity with his son—pleading with him to seek wisdom with all his heart: “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:1-5).

“She (wisdom, Jesus, united relationship with God, a HEART AFTER GOD)
is more precious than rubies;nothing you desire can compare with her.”

~ Proverbs 3:15 ~